GRACosway Weekly Policy Wrap Up

26 June 2015

Federal Parliament has now risen for the six week Winter Recess amid speculation the nation could be heading for an early election. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has maintained that the election will be held in the latter half of 2016, when it falls due.

Following the appearance of former terror suspect Zaky Mallah in Monday night’s ABC Q&A audience, and the repeat broadcast of the program, the Prime Minister has suggested ‘heads should roll’ at the ABC, while Minister for Communication Malcolm Turnbull announced the Department of Communications would be launching a review into the episode.

The Federal Government introduced much anticipated legislation that seeks to amend the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to ensure dual nationals who engage in terrorism-related activities automatically forfeit their Australian citizenship. See joint media release from the Prime Minister and Minister for Immigration here.

The Federal Government has secured agreement with the Labor Opposition on there-introduction of twice yearly indexation of fuel excise. The measure, which will raise $3.6 billion over five years, takes to over $14 billion the total value of savings negotiated through the Senate in the last fortnight. See media release: here.

The Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples tabled its final report in Parliament on Thursday. The Report makes a number of recommendations, including the repeal of section 25 of the Constitution and calls for a special sitting of Parliament to debate the motion that will be put in any referendum. Read the report here.

NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian handed down the State’s first budget since the re-election of the Baird Government in March. The Treasurer announced a record surplus of $2.1 billion for the year 2014-15, underpinned by a surge in stamp duty receipts. See GRACosway Budget Briefhere. In his reply speech, Leader of the Opposition Luke Foley announced his support for the sharing economy and foreshadowed a private members bill on ride sharing services he will introduce later this year.